title: On the interpretation of the shortening of the G1-phase by overexpression of cyclins in mammalian cells.
abstract: Increasing the concentration of cyclins in mammalian cells leads to a shortening of the G1-phase of the division cycle. This observation has been interpreted as indicating that these cyclins act during, and are rate limiting for, passage through the G1-phase. Here it is argued that it is not possible to interpret experiments involving cyclin overexpression-induced changes in the lengths of individual cell cycle phases without considering changes in the overall cellular growth rate. A rigorous reanalysis of these experiments demonstrates that the results are consistent with the proposal that the shortening of the G1-phase is merely due to an increase in the rate of mass synthesis in all phases of the cell cycle. Increased cyclin concentrations leads to a faster rate of mass synthesis and a concomitant shortening of the G1-phase. Cyclins can also affect the length of the S- and G2-phases, which leads to the observed shortening of the G1-phase. Thus, the experiments on cyclin overexpression and their effect on G1-phase length cannot be used to support the proposal that cyclins act specifically during the G1-phase of the division cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 49109-0620, USA. cooper@umich.edu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cooper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle; D016213:Cyclins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology; D016193:G1 Phase / Q000502:physiology*; D016195:G2 Phase / Q000502:physiology; D008322:Mammals; D008954:Models, Biological; D016196:S Phase / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016213:Cyclins